


a light dusting of white

by stuttervoice



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: M/M, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-26
Updated: 2016-12-26
Packaged: 2018-09-12 08:46:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,655
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9064681
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stuttervoice/pseuds/stuttervoice
Summary: Colorful lights glint off glass reflections, creating a rainbow background to the havoc of the streets. 
--It's Christmas Eve and Kuroko spends it downtown.





	

**Author's Note:**

> MERRY CHRISTMAS! It's...not actually Christmas anymore I'm so sorry. Anyway, this is a gift for my friend chii! Merry (belated) Christmas! I'll write you something good one day I promise ;;u;;

Colorful lights glint off glass reflections, creating a rainbow background to the havoc of the streets. Lovers are laughing and dancing beneath the streetlights, and families swing children in their arms as they walk home. Surely, for anyone who has a family or friends, this is one of the most joyous times of year.

Tetsuya’s mother and father are overseas currently, but he doesn’t mind. His grandmother is at his aunt’s house, so he himself decided to take a walk downtown to admire the decorations. They really are beautiful and make everything seem that much more lively.

It’s a bit colder tonight than nights previous; it’s been a slightly odd winter, as it only snowed early on but hasn’t recently. The forecast didn’t predict snow either despite the temperature dropping… Perhaps it was wrong? It certainly would be a pleasant sight, wouldn’t it?

Tetsuya stuffs his gloved hands into his coat pockets, tucking his chin into his scarf. With no one beside him, it’s a little lonely, especially for the occasion, but things like this, he shouldn’t mind. He’ll be celebrating with his family tomorrow morning, so he doesn’t have the right to complain about spending this evening alone.

Or… well, it’s almost midnight already, so he supposes the eve will turn into day soon. He sees some children sound asleep in their parents’ arms and smiles softly to himself. _Surely, they’re dreaming of what ‘Santa-san’ will bring them…_ Despite the late hour, the air is still filled with plenty of festive cheer, which lifts Tetsuya’s spirits as well. He knows it very well could have made him feel excluded, but…

Looking at all these happy people, he can’t help but get caught up in their infectious attitudes.

Tetsuya sits down on a bench in the plaza, near enough to the oversized Christmas tree that the lights are almost blinding. The chatter of the people around him creates pleasant background noise as he closes his eyes and relaxes. He’s never really spent Christmas Eve quite like this, but it’s soothing.

He hasn’t noticed how much time has passed until the bell starts ringing from the nearby clock. _Twelve times… so it’s midnight._ He opens his eyes just as his phone buzzes in his pocket. Tetsuya blinks in surprise and then takes out his phone, just as messages flood into his inbox.

_Merry Christmas Kurokocchi! I wish we could be together this year, but next year for sure!_ (*＾▽＾)／

_Hey Tetsu! Merry Christmas from Australia. It’s so weird to be celebrating down here. Anyway, see you soon!_

_Kuroko. Merry Christmas. Not that it matters, but you may be receiving a package in the mail soon._

_Tetsu-kuuuuun! Merry Christmas! It’s really colorful here in Paris right now! Ki-chan and I will send you pictures!_ _o(_ _≧_ _▽_ _≦_ _)o ._ _｡_ _.:*_ _☆_

_Kuroko! Merry Christmas! It’s too bad it ain’t snowing here but whatever. Is it snowing over there? Let’s hang out on New Year’s!_

_Kuro-chin~ Merry Christmas~ Eat a lot of snacks today okay?_

_Merry Christmas Kuroko. You received your present, correct? Hopefully you’re sleeping by now, however. It’s past midnight._

“But you’re not sleeping,” Tetsuya mumbles, squinting down at his phone. Still, he soon smiles down at the screen. He really does have great friends. It seems that they all still think of this time zone, considering they’re scattered but messaged him at exactly midnight his time.

His gaze passes over Akashi’s text again, and he smiles. “I wonder what Akashi-kun is doing for Christmas…”

“Wondering why Kuroko is out past midnight.”

Tetsuya jumps, blinking rapidly as he looks up and finds Akashi smiling down at him in amusement. Tetsuya exhales through his nose, sending Akashi a displeased look. “Akashi-kun, it’s rude to sneak up on someone like that,” he tells him, bluntly, averting his gaze back down to his phone.

Akashi chuckles, sitting down next to him. _His trench coat looks warm,_ Tetsuya notices, a tad bit envious. His coat is old and worn but beloved, so he isn’t honestly jealous, but having a coat in better shape would be nice in this weather. “It’s rude to be on your phone while speaking to someone,” Akashi counters, looking perfectly at ease. Tetsuya is a bit irritated, but it’s Christmas, so he sighs softly, letting it go.

“What is Akashi-kun doing here? And why did you message me if you saw me?” Tetsuya asks, curiously, putting his phone into his pocket. Akashi smiles, shaking his head.

“I didn’t see you,” Akashi corrects. “I sent you that message before I entered the plaza, and then I spotted you from a distance. I decided to come over to greet you in person and ask why you’re out. As for why I’m here, I’m staying in Tokyo for the holidays. I finished all the business I had to take care of today and decided to take a stroll, but I suppose that was a lucky decision since I ran into you.”

It makes sense. Tetsuya had thought that Akashi was probably in Japan for the holidays, taking care of business, but he hadn’t asked until now. It’s why he was wondering earlier what Akashi was doing for Christmas.

“I see… As for what I’m doing here, Mother and Father are away, and Grandmother is at Auntie’s house, so I decided to take a walk and admire the decorations,” Tetsuya explains, eyes straying to the Christmas tree in front of them. He smiles. “It’s very beautiful down here.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Tetsuya sees Akashi smile at the tree as well. _He’s very mellow today._ “Isn’t it? I enjoy coming down here during the holidays to see the decorations. Truthfully, it’s a rather pointless trip, but I find myself making it every year.”

Tetsuya looks at Akashi again, still smiling. “But you enjoy it, right? That means it’s not pointless.”

Akashi meets his gaze with a lifted eyebrow, but his expression soon softens into fondness. “I suppose,” he concedes. His voice is kind. It’s strange to think that not even Akashi is immune to this sort of atmosphere.

They sit in silence for a few minutes, just enjoying the night together, but then Akashi stands up, offering Tetsuya his hand. Tetsuya eyes it hesitantly, but Akashi only smiles invitingly. “Come on, Kuroko. I’ll take you around to see the decorations.”

Tetsuya frowns slightly. “I thought you wanted me to go to sleep.” It sounds as flimsy as Tetsuya thought it would, and sure enough, Akashi just sighs, giving Tetsuya an exasperated look.

“If I did, I would have told you sooner, right? There’s no sense in forcing you back home after we’ve met. We may as well as enjoy this night while it lasts,” Akashi says, extending his hand further. Tetsuya lets out a sigh, and takes Akashi’s hand, letting him pull him to his feet. Akashi smiles, pleased. “Good. Let’s get going.”

As it turns out, Akashi really does know the area well. He takes Tetsuya to some places that he didn’t even know existed, and it doesn’t matter that they’re closed; there’s an air around them that sends a thrill of excitement up Tetsuya’s spine, like when he finds a good book. Akashi walks with him until the late hours of the night, when hardly any people are around and Tetsuya’s feet are dragging. Of course, Akashi seems unaffected.

“It’s about three now… I’ll walk you home, Kuroko,” Akashi’s voice is soft, as if not wanting to disturb Tetsuya. Tetsuya isn’t really conscious by now, so he just nods. Akashi laughs quietly, placing Tetsuya’s arm around his shoulders so he can support his weight. “You could have told me you wanted to go home earlier.”

Tetsuya shakes his head, blinking the sleepiness from his eyes. “No… It’s rare that we’re able to be together, so I thought to make the most of it,” Tetsuya confesses, voice tired. Akashi seems briefly surprised, but he just smiles it off.

“Is that so? Well, I’m happy that you wanted to spend Christmas with me.”

“Of course. Akashi-kun is an important person to me.”

“Really? Hmm… Then, where am I? On a scale of Kise to Kagami?”

Tetsuya can’t help his tiny snort at the comparison, still lucid enough to get the humor from it. “I thought Akashi-kun couldn’t tell jokes,” Tetsuya points out, avoiding the question. Akashi doesn’t seem displeased, chuckling under his breath,

“I can’t. Murasakibara once used the comparison, and I haven’t forgotten it.”

Tetsuya is surprised by that, but he’s too tired to ask why Murasakibara came up with that comparison. Tetsuya sighs, deciding that he doesn’t really want to avoid Akashi’s question. “Akashi-kun is Akashi-kun. My friends are all dear to me; they have no placing. But, I truly do enjoy spending time with Akashi-kun. Thank you for taking me around,” Tetsuya lifts his head to smile at Akashi. Akashi seems taken aback for a moment before he recovers, giving Tetsuya a rueful smile.

“You always find some way to surprise me, don’t you? Then, how about this. If you have time tomorrow, come over and we can celebrate Christmas together. How does that sound?” It seems as natural as a spur-of-the-moment decision, but Tetsuya, exhausted as he is, gets an inkling that Akashi had planned this all along. _Akashi-kun is the same as ever…_ Even so, Tetsuya can’t stop smiling.

“That sounds very nice. Is the evening alright?”

Akashi seems pleased, and the lights that are still illuminating the streets makes his expression seem that much warmer. “Yes, it is. I’m look forward to it.”

Tetsuya huddles a little closer to Akashi. In what seems to be their very own little bubble, it is incredibly warm. Tetsuya smiles, closing his eyes.

“I’m looking forward to it as well. I didn’t say this before, but Merry Christmas, Akashi-kun.”

“… Merry Christmas, Kuroko.”

Mhm. As snow starts to fall gently from the skies, dusting everything white, Tetsuya can’t feel cold at all.

**Author's Note:**

> “I should warn you; the servants have taken a fancy to hanging mistletoe in the house.”  
> “…”  
> “Ah, it was a joke.”  
> “Please stop.”


End file.
